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Reciprocating Air Saw recommendation

BradG

Active member
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
28
Location
Seattle, WA
Time for a decent air saw, don't mind spending the $$ if worth it.

It's clear that the HF one is **** ... so the cheapo option is out.. Looks like there are three strong contenders:
IR 529
SnapOn PTS1000
Chicago Pneumatic CP7901

The SnapOn one is 2x the cost of the others, so I'd really like your input. Did I leave any out?
 
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Rosso

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2014
Messages
454
Location
Scotland, UK
I just bought a snap on one today. It was on promo at £160 and came with 15 metal cutting blades. The snap on has a big advantage in that it can take larger blades.
 

woody 73

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
11,542
Location
The Great State Up North
I have a very old cp from the 90's darn thing vibrates like a jack hammer going full tilt, still works but darn I shake all over.

Mind you I don't always say go with snap on but this time just reading from the web-site that sucker can take a 6" (RECIPROCATING) saw blade which peaks my interest. If my little vibrating monster ever dies I am going to buy the snap on one.:beer:

http://store.snapon.com/Air-Saws-Air-Saw-Dual-Chuck-P758983.aspx
 
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cyato

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Messages
120
Location
Orange County, CA
The SO PTS1000 is amazing. Mine has never bogged down and gotten stuck, even once, since I bought it well over a year ago, and I cut through a ton of 3/4"+ thick epoxy/fiberglass material. The only thing that slows it down is that the blade eventually dulls and has to be replaced. I get easily bothered by tools that vibrate too much. This thing is as vibration free as an air saw can be.

The only word of caution is that the trigger is pretty much an on/off switch and there is no "feathering", so you can't control the speed like with most air saws like the older Blue Point air saw. I kept my BP air saw, just for delicate situations, but it very rarely gets used. You can use any size sawzall blade with the PTS1000, not just 6" and shorter, just be careful. I use full length hacksaw blades and long sawzall blades to cut through thick foam all the time. The Milwaukee sawzall blades with the weird "ribs" at the base will not fit, just FYI.

Not cheap, but well worth it. One of my co-workers that never spends money on nice tools, was willing to pony up for one after using mine.

Matco makes the MT2219 geared air saw, which my friend has (costs more than the SO and is nice) but when we used them back to back, we both preferred the SO.
 

JoeR

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
85
Location
SoCal
i had a IR4429 first and it lasted me about 2 years, went and looked at the IR529 and CP7901 and ended up buying the CP7901. it was smaller in my hands and had the air swivel included and a few bucks cheaper. I use it almost daily cutting fiberglass, aluminum moldings and steel tubing, works awesome. Havent seen a snap-on one in use but this is a very good air saw
 
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